Educational device



Jul 19, 1949. J. BERGMAN 2,476,580

EDUCATIONAL DEVICE Filed Sept. 21, 1944 INVENTOR JackBeJyman PatentedJuly 19,1949

EnUoAnoNAL DEVICE v Jack Bergman, Pittsburgh,'Pa. Application September21, 1944, Serial No. 555,053

My invention relates to educational devices and toys, and consists in adevice which permits a child at play to learn the numerical system andthe rudiments of arithmetic.

The device of the invention is characterized by means for displayingarithmetic symbols in juxtaposition with-a system-of Wheels ordisks-that carry numerals in sequence on their; rims. The wheels areselectively rotatable, to establish in conjunction with saidsymbolsvarious arithmetical problems and their. solutions.

Theinvention will be understood upon reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

'Figure 1 is a view-in front elevation of a device embodying inexemplary way the new and useful improvements of the invention;

Figure 2 is a view of the device in cross section, as seen on thevertical plane of section-indicated at 11-11 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a-view infront elevation -of the mechanism which is arrangedwithin the hous- 111g of the device; e

Figure 4 is a view of themechanism, partl in of one of Figure 6 is aview in end elevation of said disk;

Figure 7' is a View in side elevation of another of the numerical disksof the mechanism; and

Figure 8 is-a view in perspective of a numeralbearing band that may beremovably applied to one of the disks of the device. I p

Referring to the drawings the toy or device of the invention consistsina housing '2 formed of molded plastic material 'or sheet metal. Withinthe housing three disks or wheels 3, 4 and are mounted in axialalignment upon a shaft 6. The shaft is trunnioned at its two ends inbrackets I which are boltedto, and rise from,-a baset metal cross bar 9,and thedisks, freely and indi vidually rotatable in their mounting, areheld in spaced relation by means of hub portions or spacer sleeves l0. s

The front wall of the housing is inpart formed as a cover portion IIwhich is hinged at points 12 to the main body of the housing, and this"4 Claims. (Cl. 3577) cover portion is provided'with three openwintheyflare nevertheless'effective temporarily to dows i3, i4 and ISthrough which window por tions of the rims of the three disks 3, 4 and 5are exposed to view. More minutely considered, the rim of eachdiskcarries printed in sequential orderupon it' 'the' tent-numericaldigits fl to 9,-

and in this case, the ?rims' of the disks are shapedtho-provide ten fiat facets, one'foreach digit Each of the windows formed in the coverportion H is of'flsu'ch size as toexpose to view one of thenumeral-bearing facets ef-the disk associated therewith. 9 7 V The'di'sks Y. may be rotated individually by applying rotative stress withthe finger or thumb upon the rims of the disks -exposed within thewindows,-and soany 'desiredone of the numerals ontherim of; each'difskmay be brought into position Qof, registry with thelcorrespondingwindo-w. Means are" provided for yieldingly securing each, disk with anyselected one of its numeralbearinglfacets centered or indexed in theassociate window, fand such' means advantageously comprise detents l6organized one witheachdisk.

The detentsare formed as leaf springs of metal, secured at one end tothe cross bar 9, and at opposite iendfashionedlinto a V-shaped catch;that yieldingly engages "one orv another of ten equi-spaced notches. l1sunkin the inner peripheral edge 'of the flanged rim of the associatedisk.

The detent'of each disk is'so positionedthat, when it engages one onanother of the notches in the disk, one or another of thenumeral-bearing facets stands injre'gistery with the window with whichthe diskois'correlat'ed. -Whilethe detents yield whenj-rotative stressis applied to the disks,

secure .eachdisk with the selected numeral presented to viewincenteredor indexed position in sented, In-"the present "embodiment of the in-;

vention the symbol and equals sign are carried by tabs l8 securediattheir upper and lower edgesbeneath "cleats I9 on the face of'thecover portion ll of the housing 2. If desired, the equals sign may bepermanently imprinted orembossed upon the'cover portion II, but it ispreferable that the-arithmetic symbol be carried on a device, such as atab l8, that allows the tab carrying the symbol to be supplanted by onecaras'iaoso 3 rying either the or the X symbol, as will be understoodupon consideration of the following description of the utility of thetoy.

In using the device, the child may set up various arithmetic problemsand their solutions. Assuming the arithmetic problem to be 3+4, thechild sets all disks to read zero, and then turns the first disk to showthe numeral 3, and turns theseconddisk to.show. the numeral 4, asillustrated iinil igure- 1- Next, he turnssth'e thirds disk (5) to showthe same numeral as is displayed by the first disk, that is, the numeralBr-1 and then he turns the third disk four step in numeral-ascendingdirection. In suclr mannee the numeral -the answer to the prohlem isrbrought into view,

Each step in the rotation offa; disks-imaudiblyz denoted by a chokingsound of the detentlfi aslit.

snaps into a notch ll, asjwell as visually indicated by the passageoffour numbered facets across the areaofthe-window I5, andthi-s isparticularly useful'jirrassisting: the child-to mentally' grasp thesignificance of the manipulation of'the third or so -called answer disk-5; I

When a study of arithmetiesubtractionisto be made the tab bearing the-l=" symboljissupplanted by one bearing the-= "symbol. The number-fromwhich subtraction is to bemade (say'9'l' is by rotation of "the firstidiskdisplayed inthe window: I35 while the numberto be sub tracted(say-2) is" displayed: inthe-window Mi Thereupon, the third disk isrotated topresent thenumeral 9 which is displayed by the disk" at theleft of' the minus? symbol, and then' the third disk is rotatedinnumeral-descending direcrtion through the number of steps indicated bythe numeral (2; in the given example) that is,displayed in the-windowl4. Hence, the answer 'T." is-tpres'ented inthe window l5.

Asnoted above, the thirdi disk" in realitycom; prises two disk-elements5' andia, andfitwill lie understood that in the addition and;subtraction examples-given the numerals on the portion, 5=are adequate.Indeed; the numeralsor tlie disk portion 5 areadequate'lforanyyproblemin subtraction that can be posed? by the disks,3 and i which bear numerals rangirig-from to 9; However; inordertopermit. all examples in addition to be worked. the third-0r answerdisk mustzhava manifestly, an' effective range of from,0?to,18; and itisprimarily to, this end'thatthegthirdjdisli is made in'a plurality ofdisk portions.

A's here shown, the disk portionju issmall'er thanthe main disk portion5, audit i'sformed with six facets numbered from 0 to 5; But .the.facets: of thesmallerdisk portionj'a areequal in size with those of themain disk portion an d'the smaller disk portion is so mounted besidethe. main disk portion that'the facets of both disks; which aredisplayed in the. window l5? lie. in common plane clearlyto showone oranothetot the particular double-digit numerals of whichv thetwo diskportions are capable; The smaller disk portion is essentially mountedfor rotation. on an axiswhich is eccentric withrespect to the-axis 6; lThe axis 20 is trunnioned inthe arms of a Y-shape d standard21,,andonthe left-of. the smaller disk; portion a cylindricai; shoulder.22 is integrally formed; including notches 23; which-in structure andfunction are the'counterparts ofthe notches I of the t'lisl'ls alreadydescribed. A detent' 24, similar; to the detents. l5; ismounted upon theupper endof one} of the; arms of standard 21 and cooperates? with. the;notches: 23.

Means are provided for rotating the disk portion 512 through one stepfor each full rotation of the disk portion 5. Such means comprise aplurality of lugs 25 on the disk portion 5a that in the assemblyprotrude laterally into position within the rim of the disk portion 5,and the rim of the latter disk portion carries a lug 26 that in therotation of the disk portion makes a sweepingcontact. withone of.,the,lugs 25 on the disk portion. 5a; the lug 25 which is thus contactedbeing the one which (due to the eccentric relation of the two diskportions) is nearest to the rim of the disk portion 5. The sweepingcontact of the lug 26 with a lug 25 occurs only once in each, completerotation of the disk portion 5, and the efiect of each contact is toadvance the disletportionfim through one step. Accordingly, the efiectof rotating the disk 5 through one or more complete rotations iscumulative. An example will make the utility and operation perfectlyoleart Supposing: the problem is' to add 8 and 9: All disks:are-'-set atzero; thenthe first diskistumed to show the numeral'8 and the seconddisk' the numeral-9 next thedisk' portion 5 turnedin niirneral'ascending directiorrfrom: its zero setting until the numeral 8 appears;and then-' the rotatioaof the disk porti'om S iscontinuedin the samedirection through-nine'steps. thedisk portiom 5 passes=from thepositionin which the numeral 9 thereon shows-in the wind'owto thepOSi'tiiJnillWh-ibh (l-shows', the 111??? on disk portion- 5- engagesalhg fi on disle portion 5a and causes the'latten disleportion toadvanceone step, changing the numeral showing inthewind'ow from 0 to 1.Therotatifon of 'the'disk' portion 5is continued througha total of" ninesteps, and its numeral 7 thereby: moved into position in the window. Thenumerical'oombination: displayed by thetwodiskportions is 17=-theanswertothe problem. And so any-addition= problem involving a total offrom 0 to 18 may be worked.

a matterbf fact; it will benoted that the compound disk-55a-=-is--capable of displaying any, number from 00 t'o-59 it beingunderstoodthat twofull rotationeofthe disk portion 5 will advance thecomplementary disk portion to show thenumerai 2*; three-rotations ofdiskrportion- 5 will result indis'kportion 5a; displaying the-numere] 3:andfsodl; isthat any'number from-00,, to 59 maybe displayed by the twodisk portions The use of the toy in' problems involving; totals of morethan 18 and up:to EB'ofcourse, requires numerals on the-disks 3" and4of-- higher value. than;9. Tothis-end;a-band; such as-the ban-d2! ofFigure 8; provided with anydesired sequence. of numerals, may beappliedto the rim: of either orbpth of the disks-Sandi. The: band21'com=- prises" a split ring of-resilient material, shaped to 60conform to the surfaces: otthe disks. In order. toapply a band" toa;disk; the cover I-lfisliited; and the band sprung-intosplace: on therim of a: disk: Manifestlm. by, the. use of a plurality, of;interchangeable number. bands the; rang of the. arithmetic problems;which.v may be workediis very wide;

In order to work:multipiication problems, ,the arithmeticsymboli betweendisks 3 and; 4 i would. by; interchanging; of tabs l8j be caused to.readj 7o A- band 21' would: be provided; for. each. multiplier; andtheband" for the multiplier to be used would be. securedg on the rim of.the disk portion 5. In-Eigurafi; the bandii's sliown num-. e i or the.mu tiplier. Thus, when the disk 3115 set to show this multiplier, thedisk 4' may be set to indicate any number from to 9, and the disk turnedin numeral-ascending direction through the number of steps indicated bythe numeral showing on the disk 5. The answer to the multiplicationproblem posed by the disks 3 and 4 will be presented by disk portion 5.A band 21 may be provided for each multiplier desired, and so the childusing the toy may learn elementary multiplication, as well as additionand subtraction.

Within the terms of the appended claims various modifications andreorganizations of the exemplary structure described are held incontemplation.

I claim:

1. Inan educational toy having a, rotary disk with alaterally extendedrim adapted to carry on its face a series of figures, and a detent forreleasably securing said disk in any of several positions of rotaryadjustment; the invention herein described wherein said detent comprisesa leaf spring mounted externally of said disk and having at its distalend a laterally extending finger, the body of said disk including meanslocated radially within the face of said laterally extended rim forcooperation with the finger of said detent.

2. In an educational toy comprising a. housing having a window, a diskwith a laterally extended rim rotatably mounted in said housing, aseries of figures on said rim adapted by rotary adjustment of the diskto be selectively displayed in said window, and a detent for releasablysecuring said disk in adjusted position; the invention herein describedwherein said detent comprises a leaf spring mounted externally of saiddisk and having at its distal end a laterally extending finger, the bodyof said disk including means located radially within the face of itslaterally extended rim for cooperation with the finger of said detent.

3. In an educational toy comprising a windowed housing having means fordisplaying in spaced relation an arithmetic symbol and an equals sign,three disks rotatably mounted in said housing, with the rim of the firstdisk presented in a window at the left of said symbol, the rim of thesecond disk presented in a window between the symbol and the equals"sign, and the rim of the third disk presented in a window at the rightof the equals sign, thefirst and second disks each having a successionof numerals on its rim whereby, by selective disk rotation, numerals maybe selectively posed on opposite sides of said symbol to present variousarithmetic problems, and the third disk having on its rim a successionof numerals representing the arithmetic answers to said problems andadapted by disk rotation to be selectively registered with said equalssign; the invention herein described wherein said third disk comprisinga compound disk having two disk portions of unequal diameters arrangedside by side with their centers eccentric and their rims positionedsubstantially fiush within the area of said window at the right of theequals sign, the two disk portions being severally rotatable to bringinto registry with said equals sign numerical combinations representingthe answers to said problems, a. detent for each disk portion comprisinga leaf spring mounted externally of said disk and having at its distalend a laterally extending finger, and each disk portion having meansarranged to cooperate severally with said detents, the larger of saiddisk portions having a laterally extended rim, and said means of thelarger disk portion which cooperate with the associated detentcomprising a series of notches in the internal face of said extendedrim.

4. In an educational toy comprising a windowed housing having means fordisplaying in spaced relation an arithmetic symbol and an "equals sign,three disks rotatably mounted in said housing, with the rim of the firstdisk presented in a window at the left of said symbol, the rim of thesecond disk presented in a window between the symbol and the equalssign, and the rim of the third disk presented in a window at the rightof the equals sign, the first and second disks each having a successionof numerals on its rim whereby, by selective disk rotation, numerals maybe selectively posed on opposite sides of said symbol to present variousarithmetic problems, and the third disk having on its rim a successionof numerals representing the arithmetic answers to said problems andadapted by disk rotation to be selectively registered with said equalssign; the invention herein described wherein said disks are mounted tobe selectively rotated, detent means cooperating with each disk forrestraining the disk in selected position of rotation, said detent meanscomprising a support, leaf springs for said disks severally mounted onsaid support in spaced-apart relation, a laterally extending finger oneach leaf spring, a series of notches on each disk for cooperation withthe finger of the associated leaf spring, and each disk having asubstantial area of its numeral-bearing rim exposed within the area ofthe associate window for the fingers of the user to apply rotativestress adequate to overcome the resistance of the detent associated withthe disk and effect the turning of the disk from one numeral-displayingposition to another.

JACK BERGMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 69,482 Richardson 1 Oct. 1, 1867198,934 Fields Jan. 8, 1878 209,416 Odhner Oct. 29, 1878 238,122 Jameset al Feb. 22, 1881 296,900 Wheeler Apr. 15, 1884 412,489 Force et a1Oct. 8, 1889 845,276 Swart Feb. 26, 1907 924,406 Walker June 8, 19091,052,460 Charlier Feb. 11, 1913 1,159,133 Thomson Nov. 2, 19151,256,224 Habart Feb. 12, 1918 1,536,119 McDonald May 5, 1925 1,581,390Cook Apr. 20, 1926 2,152,777 swindell Apr. 4, 1939 2,342,325 Bliss Feb.22, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 246,174 Great Britain 1927420,775 Germany .l 1924 450,877 Germany 1925 502,263 France Feb. 17,1920

